Actuator knob and switch arrangement for a radio receiver



March 19, 1968 a. R. MUNDSCHENK 3,373,621

ACTUATOR KNOB AND SWITCH ARRANGEMENT FOR A RADIO RECEIVER Filed April 27, 1966 FIG.|

I H INVENTOR I GLENN R. MUNDSC HENK, V 7/ HIS ATTORNEY.

3,373,621 ACTUATOR KNOB AND SWI'ItII-I ARRANGE- MENT FOR A RADIO RECEIVER Glenn R. Mundsehenk, Utica, N.Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 545,757 8 Claims. (Cl. 741 )4) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rotatable actuator knob assembly including spaced, transversely extending fingers operatively engaging a slide switch actuating lever, while at the same time captivating the actuator knob assembly in a cabinet.

The present invention relates to an actuator knob and switch arrangement for radio receivers and like devices and more specifically to a rotatable actuator knob suitale for actuating an inexpensive slide switch in such a receiver.

It is desirable in many instances in radio receivers to utilize the reliable yet inexpensive slide type switch to perform the on-off and similar functions. The actuation of such a switch involves a simple translational motion in contradistinction to the rotary actuating motion required by a rotary type switch.

However, it is also desirable from a standpoint of operator convenience to utilize a rotatable actuator knob in conjunction with such a slide switch. Thus, it becomes necessary to convert the rotary motion of the actuator knob to the simple translational motion required for actuation of the slide switch. A rotary actuator of this type should itself be reliable and inexpensive and should afford freedom of design in placement of the slide switch. Further, such an actuator should be simple in structure and easily assembled to the receiver cabinet without the use of separate fasteners such as clamps, etc. The prior art has not satisfied these somewhat conflicting desiderata.

The present invention provides a simple rotary actuator for a slide switch, the actuator being easily assembled to a radio receiver cabinet.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a rotatable actuator knob for actuating a slide switch in a radio receiver.

A further object is to provide a rotatable actuator knob that is easily assembled to a radio receiver cabinet for actuation of a slide switch positioned therein.

These and other objects are received in one embodiment of the invention through the use of a molded rotatable actuator knob provided with a generally cylindrical body portion having spaced transversely extending key fingers thereon. The body member including the fingers is assembled into a molded sleeve in the cabinet in a first position, the body member then being rotated so that the key fingers engage the sleeve to prevent withdrawal of the actuator knob assembly from the cabinet. The slide switch is then positioned with the actuating lever extending between the transverse key fingers so as to be engaged by cam surfaces provided thereon. Rotation of the rotatable actuator knob results in translation of the slide switch while at the same time the slide switch permits only limited rotation of the actuator knob thereby preventing rotation of the actuator knob to the position necessary for removal from the cabinet. In this manner the actuator knob is captivated in the cabinet without the necessity for separate fasteners.

The novel and distinctive features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

ire tes Patent FIGURE 1 is a partial front view of a radio receiver employing the rotatable actuator knob of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective View of the rotatable actuator knob of the invention,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is shown generally at 1 a radio cabinet having a front panel 3 and including a rotatable actuator knob assembly in accordance with the invention generally shown at 5. In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the actuator knob assembly 5 is rotatable to actuate a reliable but inexpensive slide switch positioned within the cabinet 1.

Referring to FIGURE 2, there is shown an exploded perspective view of the actuator knob assembly 5 shown in FIGURE 1. The actuator knob assembly 5 comprises a generally cylindrical body member 7, an outwardly extending knobportion 9 and an integral intermediate flange portion 11. The knob portion 9 may be knurled as shown to facilitate manipulation by an operator and the flange portion 11 is provided with a plurality of radially extending ribs 13 which abut the front panel 3 of the cabinet shown in FIGURE 1 and accordingly serve as bearing surfaces.

The rearmost portion of the generally cylindrical body member 7 is semi-cylindrical in form and is provided with a pair of spaced generally transversely extending key fingers 15. Each key finger 15 includes a generally planar cabinet engaging portion 17 and a generally planar slide switch engaging portion 19. The rearmost portion 21 of each switch engaging portion 19 is tapered as shown.

The actuator knob assembly 5 is received by a generally cylindrical sleeve 23 integrally formed with the front panel 3 and generally conforming to the shape of the actuator knob assembly 5 when the actuator knob assembly is positioned as shown. The sleeve 23 includes a reentrant curved portion 25 adapted to slideably engage the cylindrical body member 7 of the actuator knob assembly, the key fingers 15 being received by the key slots thus formed on each side of the reentrant portion 25 when the actuator knob assembly 5 is inserted in the sleeve in the position shown in FIGURE 2.

As shown most clearly in the cross-sectional view of FIGURE 3, the distance from the rearmost portion of the ribs 13 to the cabinet engaging portion 17 of the key fingers 15 is slightly greater than the distance from the front of the panel 3 to the rearmost extremity of the sleeve 23. Thus, in accordance with the invention, the actuator knob assembly 5 is inserted in the sleeve 23 in the angular position as shown in FIGURE 2 and is then rotated to a position as shown in FIGURE 3. In this latter position as shown most clearly in FIGURES 3 and 4, the cabinet engaging portions 17 of the key fingers 15 engage the end of the sleeve 23 to lock the actuator knob assembly 5 in the sleeve 23 while not restraining rotation thereof.

With the actuator knob assembly 5 oriented as shown in FIGURE 3, a slide switch 27 having an actuating lever 29 is positioned with the actuating lever extending between the slide switch engaging portions 19 of the key fingers 15 as shown most clearly in FIGURE 4.

The operation of the device of the invention assembled in the manner discussed above is most clearly seen by reference to FIGURE 4. It will be seen that the positioning of the actuating lever 29 between the key fingers 15 permits only limited rotation of the actuator knob assembly 5 as indicated by the arrow 31. Accordingly, with the actuating lever of the switch positioned as shown the actuator knob assembly 5 cannot be rotated to the position necessary for unlocking the actuator knob assembly from. the cabinet.,The actuator knob assembly 5 is accordingly captivated by the action of the slide switch without the necessity for separate fasteners. However, the actuator knob assembly 5 is rotatable as indicated by the arrow 31 to the extent necessary to translate the actuating lever 29 of the slide switch 27 for operation of the switch, the interior of the sleeve 23 serving as a bearing surface during this operation. Thus, when the actuator knob assembly 5 is rotated as indicated by arrow 31, one of the slide switch engaging portions 19 of the extending key fingers serves as a cam surface to engage the actuating lever 29 and translate this lever in the desired direction as indicated by arrow 33. The switch engaging portions l9vmay be angled as shown in FIGURE 4 with respect to the actuating lever 29 to provide an optimum cam action.

The taper on the rearmost portion 21 of each slide invention, in some applications a simple aperture in the cabinet having the shape of the depicted sleeve may provide a sufficient bearing surface and the sleeve may be eliminated.

Thus in accordance with the invention, a simple and reliable actuator knob assembly is provided which is easily molded from a plastic material. Similarly, the sleeve which receives the actuator knob assembly is easily integrally molded with the cabinet of the radio receiver. Further, the actuator knob assembly of the invention is easily and quickly locked to the cabinet in the desired position and completely eliminates the necessity for fasteners such as clamps or similar devices. Further, although for purposes of illustration, a slide switch havingan actuating lever position on the top thereof has been shown, the device of the invention is compatible with a slide switch having the actuating lever positioned on the side thereof and thus atfords a high degree of design freedom.

Although the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for actuating a slide switch positioned within a cabinet and having an actuating lever, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a generally cylindrical actuator knob assembly, (b) support means including an aperture in the cabinet receiving said actuator knob assembly, (c) said actuator knob assembly being axially slideable within the aperture when said actuator knob assembly is at a predetermined angular position,

((1) said actuator knob assembly including means' lockedly engaging said support means to restrain axial motion of said actuator knob assembly at angular positions other than said predetermined position while permitting rotation of said actuator knob assembly about its axis within the aperture, and- (c) said actuator knob assembly further including means operably engaging the actuating lever of the slide switch to translate the actuating lever of the slide switch upon rotation of the actuator knob assembly while preventing rotation of said actuator knob assembly to said predetermined angular position.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said actuator knob assembly includes a knob portion and a generally cylindrical body portion.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said means lockedly engaging said support means comprise a pair of spaced transversely extending key fingers positioned on said cylindrical body portion of said actuator knob assembly, and

(b) said means for operably engaging the actuating lever of the slide switch comprises said pair of spaced transversely extending key fingers.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein:

(a) said support means includes a generally cylindrical sleeve aiiixed to the cabinet and having a reentrant portion, and

(b) said body portion of said actuator knob assembly is received by said sleeve in said predetermined angular position with said transversely extending key fingers positioned on opposite sides of said reentrant portion.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said transversely extending key fingers slideably engage the end of said sleeve member at angular positions other than said predetermined position to restrain axial motion of said actuator knob assembly while permitting rotation thereof.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the slide switch is positioned with the actuating lever extending between said spaced transversely extending key fingers.

7. An actuating device for operably engaging the actuating lever of a slide switch positioned within a cabinet, said device comprising:

(a) a knob portion,

(b) a generally cylindrical body portion afiixed to said knob portion,

(0) a pair of spaced transversely extending fingers affixed to said body portion at the end most removed from said knob portion,

((1) said device being rotatably mounted in the cabinet with the knob portion communicating with the exteri'or of the cabinet and with the actuating lever of the slide switch positioned between said transversely extending fingers, and

(e) said transversely extending fingers slidably engaging the interior of the cabinet to restrain axial motion of said device while permitting rotation thereof.

8. The device defined in claim 7 wherein said device includes a flange portion intermediate said knob and body portions, said flange portion including a bearing surface slideably engaging the exterior of the cabinet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,075,396 1/1963 Smith 74-104 FRED C. MATTERN, 111., Primary Examiner.

F. D. SHOEMAKER, Assistant Examiner. 

